May is Mental Health Awareness Month for Children, Too

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Like adults, children can face mental health issues ranging from anxiety and depression to oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among others.

Anxiety

All children experience fear and anxiety at some point. For example, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports “toddlers are often very distressed about being away from their parents, even if they are safe and cared for.” Though some fears and worries are “normal,” extreme fear or sadness may be due to an anxiety disorder. Some common childhood anxiety disorders include:

• Separation Anxiety: Being afraid to be away from parents.
• Phobias: Extreme fear about a specific situation or things ranging from a visit to the doctor to bugs, for example.
• Social Anxiety: Fear of going to school or other places where there are large numbers of people.
• General Anxiety: An overwhelming fear of the future and bad things happening such as death.
• Panic Disorder: Repeated episodes of sudden, intense fear with physical symptoms such as a pounding heart, trouble breathing, dizziness, shaking, or sweating.

Anxiety can lead to physical symptoms including irritability, headaches, and fatigue. Other symptoms include not feeling well, frequent crying, and restlessness. Angering easily, difficulty focusing, and eating too little or too much are other symptoms.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, one in five children develop an anxiety disorder. Nearly one in three teens between ages 13 and 18 suffer from anxiety and such disorders are more common in people assigned female at birth.

While anxiety can be triggered by several factors, treatment is available. A healthcare provider can discuss symptoms and triggers. Once diagnosed, anxiety disorders are typically treated with cognitive behavioral therapy and medication. Both may be employed to achieve the best results.

Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches children coping skills, calms reactions, and helps them face fears to overcome them. This can be done in a group or individual therapy setting.

Medications used to treat anxiety include Fluoxetine (Prozac®), Paroxetine (Paxil®, Pexeva®), and Sertaline (Zoloft®). If ineffective, a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor such as Duloxetine (Cymbalata®, Drizalma®, Irenka®) may be prescribed. Children should be monitored for side effects including increased thoughts of suicide.

Depression

Depression also poses a serious challenge for children. Pervasive feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, or sadness may be signs of depression. Some children may appear unmotivated or misbehave rather than “act depressed.” This may cause them to be mislabeled as “lazy” or a “troublemaker.”The CDC reports common symptoms of depression in children include:

• Frequently feeling irritable, sad, or hopeless.
• Avoiding doing fun things or not enjoying them.
• Changes in eating, sleeping, or energy patterns.
• Difficulty focusing, feeling worthless, guilty, or disliked.
• Self-injury such as “cutting” and self-destructive behavior.

Extreme depression can lead to suicidal ideology. Suicide is the leading cause of death among youth ages 10 to 24, according to the CDC. You can learn about suicide prevention from the National Institute of Mental Health and take all threats of suicide seriously.

Discuss concerns with a healthcare professional. While depression can be caused by trauma, some symptoms may result from other disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s important to have a proper mental health evaluation conducted.

Depression can be treated with behavioral therapy including individual, group, and family therapy or a combination of therapies. Behavioral therapy teaches children and teens to turn negative thoughts into positive onesand provides tools for managing depression. Schools also offer supportive therapies and parental support is a key to effective treatment.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) causes children to be uncooperative, defiant, and even hostile toward their parents, peers, and authority figures. This disorder can result from developmental issues or learned behaviors.

Johns Hopkins Medicine reports ODD symptoms can occur in children without the disorder such as during the toddler or teen years. Children may become defiant, argue, or disobey authority.Children and teens with ODD experience symptoms more often and for longer periods and interfere with a child’s learning, ability to adjust at school, and interpersonal relationships.Other symptoms of ODD include:

• Frequent temper tantrums.
• Questioning rules and doing things to annoy others.
• Blaming others for their misbehaviors or mistakes.
• Easily annoyed by others, has an angry attitude, and speaks harshly or unkindly.
• Seeks revenge or is vindictive.

If your child demonstrates these symptoms consistently over a period of more than six months, seek the help of a qualified mental health expert. They can discuss behaviors and provide mental health testing.

Treatment for ODD includes different therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, peer group therapy. Medication is not typically used to treat ODD.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) usually occurs when someone’s life has been threatened or severe injury has occurred. Children suffering from PTSD may experience anxiousness or fear, even when they are not endangered.

Symptoms of PTSD may begin shortly after a traumatic event or can develop years later. To be diagnosed with PTSD, a child must have experienced symptoms for more than a “month and be severe enough they interfere with school, work, or relationships,” according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Symptoms of PTSD include:

• Flashbacks or a feeling of reliving the event.
• Trouble sleeping, nightmares, or startling easily.
• Losing interest in activities or feeling alone.
• Angry outbursts or feeling worried, guilty, irritable, or sad.
• Physical pain such as headaches or stomachaches.

Testing is available for PTSD and a psychiatrist or psychologist can diagnose the disorder. Therapists help children manage their PTSD through talk therapy. Group therapy and family support are also effective in treating PTSD. Medications can also be used to help children feel less fear, tense, and depressed.

If your child is suffering with a mental health issue, help is available. If your child is experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the suicide and crisis lifeline free of charge 24 hours a day by dialing or texting 988. Contact jiguar.com or email info@jiguar.com for assistance with mental health concerns with your child.